RHP LaTroy Hawkins was still ailing Thursday, one day after taking comebacker off the groin in Wednesday’s setback to the Dodgers. “It seemed like the bus driver hit every bump he could find,” Hawkins said of the trip from L.A. to San Diego. Hawkins gave up a game-tying homer to Dodgers PH Andre Ethier in the ninth inning after Jerry Hairston Jr.’s hard grounder hit him squarely. Hawkins was moving around gingerly in the Mets’ clubhouse before Thursday’s game, and he got the night off.

3B Wilmer Flores, who is hobbling with a twisted right ankle suffered in Monday’s loss to the Dodgers, may be able to avoid the disabled list, manager Terry Collins said Thursday. “I think in a couple of more days, he’s wearing boots during the day, he’ll get better,” Collins said before the Mets opened a four-game series in San Diego. Collins and the Mets surely hope so. Flores, 22, got off to a sizzling start, tying a club record with nine RBIs in his first six major league games. He is 8-for-28 (.286) on the season.

LHP Jonathon Niese, who starts against the Padres on Friday, earned a win in his last outing, a 9-5 victory over the Diamondbacks. Niese worked six innings, allowing four runs and seven hits. He struck out five and walked one. Niese is 2-2 with a 2.15 ERA in his career against the Padres. In his last start against San Diego on Opening Day, he picked up a win in a 11-2 New York victory. Niese allowed two runs on four hits with four strikeouts and two walks in 6 2/3 innings.

OF Marlon Byrd hit a two-run double with two outs in the eighth inning to lift the Mets to a 4-1 victory over the Padres at Petco Park on Thursday night. Byrd, who went 2-for-4, lined RHP Luke Gregerson‘s pitch over the head of RF Chris Denorfia, scoring Mike Baxter and Daniel Murphy, after Padres manager Bud Black ordered an intentional walk to Murphy. Byrd is hitting .321 with 25 RBIs since July 1 and is batting .387 in the past nine games.

RHP Zack Wheeler recorded a career-high 12 strikeouts in six innings, allowing a run on seven hits and one walk. He threw 115 pitches (73 pitches). Wheeler lowered his road ERA to 2.11 through seven starts. He joined Pedro Martinez and Nolan Ryan as the only Mets pitchers to strike out 12 or more batters in six innings or less.

RHP Bobby Parnell, out since July 31 with a herniated disk in his neck, isn’t expected to come off the disabled list anytime soon. “He hasn’t thrown. There is no timetable for him,” manager Terry Collins said Thursday. Collins added that he wasn’t sure if Parnell would need surgery.

C John Buck hit a solo home run off San Diego RHP Tim Stauffer in the ninth inning, ending a 25-game skid without a home run. It also was his first extra-base hit in 15 games.

Game Preview

The Mets broke their three game slide last night beating the Padres 4-1! The Amazin’s look to keep that going tonight as they play game two of four. In case you missed last night, Wheeler was great going 6 innings, allowing 1 ER striking out 12 batters. Byrd hit a key double that brought in two runs and Buck added his 15th homer of the year. Tonight Niese will get his second start since coming back from the DL as he squares up against Ian Kennedy.

Jon Niese is 4-6 over 15 starts with a 4.45 ERA while pitching 83.0 innings and striking out 54 batters. He allowed 7 hits and 4 ER over 6 innings in his first start back from the DL. He also walked a batter and struck out 5. His first start of the season was against the Padres where he allowed 2 ER and 4 hits over 6.2 innings. The Padres have the following numbers against Jon:

Guzman 2-7
Forsythe 2-7, 2B
Hundley 2-7, 3B
Cedeno 1-4
Alonso 1-3, HR

The Mets bats get to deal with Ian Kennedy tonight who is 4-8 on the season over 23 games and 137.2 innings with a 4.97 ERA. Kennedy was traded midseason to the Padres and since joining them he is 0-1 with a 2.63 in two starts. He faced the Mets earlier this season with the Diamondbacks where he allowed 2 ER over 7 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

I’ve been writing the Game Preview posts at MMO since 2008 and worrying about the Mets roster for pretty much my entire life. When I’m not watching the Mets, I’m a Physics Teacher in Newark, NJ. You can follow me on twitter @213mfs